Seahawks sign long snapper Drew Ferris

The Seahawks Thursday signed free agent long snapper Drew Ferris, a University of Florida product with no NFL experience, to compete for a position held for the past six years by Clint Gresham, released last week in a salary dump. Ferris spent time in mini- camp last year with the New York Jets, but did not stick.

Ferris joins Andrew East as candidates to take over for Gresham, who snapped in the past 96 regular-season games for Seattle. East was signed to a futures contract in January. East spent time in Kansas City’s training camp last summer.

The Seahawks signed Gresham to a three-year contract prior to the 2015 season at $2.7 million. The deal would have counted $860,000 against Seattle’s 2016 salary cap, and the Seahawks decided they could make do with less.

Ferris becomes the fourth player that Seattle added in free agency. The others are offensive linemen J’Marcus Webb and Bradley Sowell, as well as defensive tackle Sealver Siliga. Webb has a shot to become Seattle’s starting right tackle.

SEAHAWKS FREE AGENT TRACKER

Unrestricted free agents retained

Date

Player

Pos.

’15 Salary

New Deal

Mar 9

Ahtyba Rubin

DL

2.6M

3 years, $12M, $5.5M guaranteed

Mar 9

Jeremy Lane

CB

660K

4 years, $23M, $11M guaranteed

Mar 10

Jermaine Kearse

WR

2.3M

3 years, $13.5M, $6.3M guaranteed

Mar 11

Jon Ryan

P

1.5M

4 years, $10M (1M annual raise)

Mar 16

Christine Michael

RB

208K

1 year, $725,000 (base $675,000)

Mar 19

Mike Morgan

LB

750K

Contract details not yet disclosed

Unrestricted free agents lost

Date

Player

Pos

New Team

New Deal

Mar 9

Bruce Irvin

LB

Raiders

5 years, $37M, $19M guaranteed

Mar 9

Brandon Mebane

DT

Chargers

3 years, $13.5M, $5.5M guaranteed

Mar 9

J.R. Sweezy

G

Bucs

5 years, $32.5M

Mar 9

Ricardo Lockette

WR

None

Seahawks declined to offer, now FA

Mar 16

Russell Okung

LT

Broncos

5 years, $53 million

Remaining unrestricted free agents

Date

Player

Pos.

’15 Salary

2015 Season/Skinny

—–

Tarvaris Jackson

QB

1.3M

33 in April, mopped up in 4 games

—–

Will Tukuafu

FB

745K

14 games, 1 touchdown

—–

Demarcus Dobbs

DE

745K

11 games, no starts

—–

Fred Jackson

RB

870K

16 games, 2 rec. TDs

Unrestricted free agents added

Date

Player

Pos.

’15 Team

New Deal

Mar 14

Bradley Sowell

OL

Cardinals

1 year for $1.5M

Mar 14

Sealver Siliga

DL

Patriots

1 year for $1.4M

Mar 15

J’Marcus Webb

OL

Raiders

2 years, $6.25M, $2.5M guaranteed

Mar 24

Drew Ferris

LS

No NFL

Details not yet available

Restricted free agents

Date

Player

Pos.

’15 Salary

New Deal

Mar 7

Patrick Lewis

C

585K

Tendered $1.67M

Mar 7

Cooper Helfet

TE

510K

Tendered $600,000

Mar 9

Alvin Bailey

G

585K

Received no offer; signed with CLE.

Mar 9

Derrick Coleman

FB

585K

Seahawks declined to offer, now FA

—–

Nick Moody

LB

413K

3 games, no starts

Exclusive rights free agents

Date

Player

Pos.

’15 Salary

Skinny

Mar 6

Eric Pinkins

LB

180K

Tendered; agreed March 15

Mar 7

DeShawn Shead

DB

660K

Tendered $760,000

Mar 8

Marcus Burley

CB

510K

Tendered $600,000

Mar 8

A.J. Francis

DT

6.6K

Tendered $600,000, signed

Mar 8

Jesse Williams

DT

393K

Waived; never played

Mar 9

Steven Terrell

CB

600K

Tendered

Mar 9

Moh. Seisay

CB

333K

Tendered

Additional transactions

March 15: Released long snapper Clint Gresham, who had been with the Seahawks since 2010. Gresham had signed a three-year, $2.7 million contract extension a year ago and his release will save $660,000 against the cap in 2016.

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